This week’s top ten Tuesday topic is essentially about books that have been recently added to the TBR list and well, seeing as how I’ve added books up to 2020 to my TBR, this spin on it totally works. Also, because it’s sci-fi month. I tried to pick more underrated books/authors and looking over the list, I guess I partly succeeded? The excitement’s very real at least.
Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel
I read Neuvel’s debut, Sleeping Giants, back in 2015 about 501928 (read: 8) months before its release and I’m still not over it. It’s such a fucked up mindfuck of a book on top of being a reminisce of Pacific Rim. I love it when the concept and execution just works from the get-go. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Rose and co. next especially after that ending.
Iron Gold by Pierce Brown
Iron Gold still doesn’t have a release date let alone a cover so I’m not ever sure if it’s still coming out next year. Still, I’m very excited because Red Rising is one hell of a trilogy and I’m very much a fan of the universe Brown has created to say goodbye to it so soon.
Wires and Nerve, Vol. 1 by Marissa Meyer, Douglas Holgate
The Lunar Chronicles is one of the most fun science fiction retellings that I’ve ever read and though, I should probably already read Stars Above, reading something from Iko’s perspective and in graphic novel form is just so damn exciting. At this point, the wait seems like it’s never going to be over.
The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden
I haven’t read as much sci-fi thrillers set on earth as I’d like to so I’m very much looking forward to The Prey of Gods. Set in South Africa, it’s about a group of characters with supernatural abilities joining forces ‘to stop a goddess intent on remaking their world.’ Man, it almost sounds too good to be true!
The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi
You can never have enough space operas which is why The Collapsing Empire is on this list. It’s going to be rather wordy trying to summarize what the book is actually about. But Scalzi promises a female character who swears a lot as well as ‘explosions and assassinations and political intrigue and really big spaceships and even a little bit of sex.’ That’s all I really need to know, to be honest.
Embers of War by Gareth L. Powell
Embers of War takes place in space which obviously, because the main character is a sentient warship. I’m not sure about said warship being named Trouble Dog, but the synopsis sounds awesome enough to let this go. Maybe. I mean, there’s a rescue mission and someone on-board is wreaking havoc so exciting stuff happening all around.
Pitch Dark by Courtney Alameda
First off, I just love that cover! Who’d have thought that combination would work so well together and then it gets better. Pitch Dark is ‘set against a future of marauding space scavengers and deadly aliens who kill with sound.’ Yet another reason 2017 is going to rock.
Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo
I had written off any attempt of young adult retellings of Marvel or DC superheroes after the Black Widow one tanked so bad that virtually no one cares about its sequel. However, the synopsis of Wonder Woman: Warbringer makes me think that there’s hope yet. With not even a single mention of romance and lady bosses teaming up, I’m so very here for it.
The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente, Annie Wu
Crini discovered the amazing sounding The Refrigerator Monologues and honestly, with the way refrigeration of female characters go I’m more than ready for this. I’ve lost count of the number of female characters that TV has killed off for storytelling purposes this year alone. One show killed off its female lead while, another fired theirs (and then the show itself got cancelled which served them right, ha). I still haven’t watched one of my favorite shows because they offed my favorite character for a type of storytelling that they couldn’t even get right (I mean, the actress was outraged herself and wore a t-shirt about it). Bring it on!
Barbary Station by R.E. Stearns
Barbary Station apparently comes out in December 2017 which why so far away?! This is another one of those books that I feel like I’ve already been waiting a long time for because SPACE PIRATES taking down malevolent security AI. This is going to be tough because of my loves for space pirates and evil AIs, both.
Excited for any of these? Have any 2017 sci-fi recs that I should check out?
LOLOLOL at us still not having read Stars Above. We are so good at this being a reader thing.
(was totally planning on making a 2017 release list too during this month and now maybe I should just point to your list instead LOL)
It’s not even going to take us that long to read Stars Above because they’re short stories AND YET. We’re the best readers ever, haha.
No way, I’m glad you made a list because lists always.
I’m surprised I/we haven’t been spoiled yet tbh.
Told myself to not get Wires & Nerves before I’ve read Stars Above so maybe that will motivate me because I really want that one LOL
I’m really looking forward to Waking Gods especially, as you mentioned, after the cliffhanger in Sleeping Giants! I hadn’t heard about Wires & Nerves or The Refrigerator Chronicles, but they’ve both gone straight on my wishlist. Thanks for the great list!
Yesss, I’ve such high hopes for Waking Gods.
Yayyy, glad to be of help. =D
If there’s anyone I really trust to write Wonder Woman and do it well, it’s Leigh Bardugo. I have such high hopes for this book, WW is one of my all-time favourite characters.
My TTT this week.
That’s so true! (Also why I’m skeptical of SJ Maas writing the Catwoman book, sigh).
THERE IS ANOTHER BOOK WITHIN THE RED RISING UNIVERSE?? HOW DID I NOT KNOW? But seriously… what? And the new Scalzi actually sounds like my perfect book.
Anyway thank you SO MUCH for this list, I’ve basically added them all 😀
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, RINN?! I think it was announced the week Morning Star was released (which kind of took something away from Morning Star because you could guess the ending wouldn’t be all bad). Still, I’m unbelievably excited for a new series.
Haha I love that!
How long ago did Stars Above come out? Lol, we’re on top of things this year. xD
So many books to be excited for! I immediately added The Prey of Gods and The Refrigerator Monologues to my TBR. And of course I’m always up for more Scalzi. I can’t believe I waited so long to read him? (Like, why did I wait until AFTER getting to see him at a book signing? Lol.)
I honestly don’t even remember, haha. Seriously, I’ve been such a slow reader this year, I hate myself for that sometimes.
Haha yes, why Maraia?! I’m glad that he’s actually a great sci-fi writer and not a one-hit wonder or something of the sort.
THE REFRIGERATOR MONOLOGUES sounds right up my alley. Sharp, smart and timely. Great list!
RIGHT?! I’m so excited for it.
Thank you.
This is the first time I’ve seen the Waking Gods cover. I did like Sleeping Giants although not as much as I thought I would, but I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes nevertheless! and I like the sound of the Refrigerator Monologues as well.
I love the covers for this series! The synopsis for Waking Gods got me even more excited for the book so I really hope it doesn’t disappoint.
I’m looking forward to “Waking Gods” and the new Pierce Brown too. I actually haven’t read “Morning Star” yet… circumstances (a cross-country move) conspired against me earlier this year, and now that I have plenty of time to read it, I keep putting it off because I don’t want the series to be over! Needless to say, I was thrilled to hear Pierce is writing more in the RR world!
You’re going to love Morning Star! It’s definitely a great installment in the trilogy though, I think Golden Son is my favorite out of the three.
Gah, I know the feeling of putting off reading a book and I do it more often than I’d like to.
I can’t wait for Waking Gods and Pitch Black!
Thanks for this list. I was not aware of most of these releases. The new John Scalzi book sounds interesting. Adding these to my tbr.
You’re welcome!
I have to admit I wasn’t as thrilled by SLEEPING GIANTS as you and Crini were and for me it was almost a bit too close to Pacific Rim without being as awesome. Also I was a bit disappointed that the author made so little use of all the possibilities the concept of the book gave him and mostly stuck to interviews – but maybe that’s because I had ILLUMINAE short before Neuvel’s novel and couldn’t help comparing the narratives^^ I still want to read WAKING GODS though but my expectations are not as high anymore as they were before SLEEPING GIANTS.
I’m waaaay more excited for IRON GOLD and I really hope we get to see all the (still living XD) characters from the RED RISING trilogy again 😀
I read Sleeping Giants before I read Illuminae and I do think I wouldn’t have liked Sleeping Giants as much if it was the other way around. Still, I love how messed up the book was and how far they were all willing to go for a fucking robot, haha.
OMG YES! I would love to have Sevro as one of the main characters.
I’m not the biggest fan of sci-fi books, but your post makes me want to add a lot of them to my tbr. I couldn’t get into Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, but I feel like as if I don’t give it another go, I’ll be missing out on so much! I’m super excited about Iko’s graphic novel too. And you must read Stars Above asap! I loved the last story the most!
Yes! The thing is that all three books in the Red Rising trilogy are pretty different from each other so I say definitely give Red Rising a chance.
Gah, hopefully soon! I already spoiled myself (which I never do) on the last story when I first got the book and I’m still so excited to get to it.